What do you call the area just east of the Lower Haight and slightly south of Hayes Valley? You know — between, say, Buchanan and Market St? Do you call that area anything? Do you want to?

Well, the good folks at The Bold Italic do. They're calling it Mint Slope, since it kinda/sorta slopes away from the U.S. Mint. And in honor of this newly-dubbed "microhood," they're throwing a block party of sorts tonight from 6-9pm.

A number of shops, bars, and food carts have prepped special deals and delicacies for the event, from jazz and oysters at The Orbit Room, to discounts at Al's Comics and Pisco, to freshly-made Mint (wink!) Chocolate Chunk ice cream courtesy of Smitten Ice Cream. You can find the full list of participants on The Bold Italic's website, and you can make their lives easier by RSVPing via Facebook.

Now, some of you might still be microhoodophobic after May's very polarizing SOPA debate, and some of you might question whether "Mint Slope" is really a legitimate 'hood or not (passing reference in a 2008 Tablehopper article notwithstanding).

But so what? Point is: there's a fun, free event tonight with lots of good food and booze and discounts, in an area you might not know much about, which also happens to be within walking distance of the Lower Haight. So quit yer crabbin' and go check it out!